By Josephine Sesay

For millions of young Africans, this is the harsh truth: we were told that education is the key to success so we went to school. From primary to university, we studied hard, believing that knowledge would open doors to a better future. But when we finally arrived at those doors, we found them locked not by failure, but by tribalism, favouritism, bribery, and corruption.

We studied. We struggled. We graduated. And yet, we were replaced by the connected, the favoured, and those who inherited privilege rather than earned it. We are a generation betrayed by the very system that promised us hope.

From childhood, we were told: “Go to school; education is the key.” We believed it. We studied through blackouts, under candlelight. We walked long distances to overcrowded classrooms. We sacrificed, and our parents sacrificed even more.

But now, with degrees in our hands, we watch as jobs are given not to the most qualified, but to the most connected. Positions are awarded based on tribe, family name, political loyalty, or who can afford to pay the highest bribe.

What do we tell the young woman who graduated top of her class but was ignored because she has no political backing? What do we say to the young man who did everything right, yet watches incompetent people take the seats he worked for?

Across the continent, corruption has evolved into a career. Youth empowerment funds vanish into private pockets. Government jobs are auctioned behind closed doors. Leaders talk about “opportunity” during press conferences, but in practice, they build barriers to keep us out.

This is not just mismanagement it is a war on hope, on merit, and on the African dream. We are told to “wait for our turn. We are praised for our energy, then locked out of decisions. We are called “the future”, but denied a place in the present.

African democracy cannot be complete if its youth are only seen at political rallies but never heard in parliament. We don’t need token representation or microphones for speeches—we need real power. Youth must not only be respected; we must be included at the table, in the room, where decisions are made.

End tribalism and favouritism in public service, education, and recruitment. Build systems of merit that value competence over connections. Punish corruption, not protect it. Invest in youth, not with slogans, but with tangible opportunities. Empower young voices in politics and governance not as decoration, but as drivers of real change.

Africa’s youth are not hopeless we are hopeful, but our hope has been hijacked. The doors of opportunity cannot remain locked forever, or peace will not survive outside them.

If democracy is to endure in Africa, it must make space for its youth not tomorrow, not in the next election, but now.

Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Wednesday, 8th October 2025 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)